


Loghain, Puppies, Mischief.

by nihlus



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-10
Updated: 2012-03-10
Packaged: 2017-11-01 17:52:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/359613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nihlus/pseuds/nihlus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, modern times. Loghain has decided to take in a little golden retriever by the name of Maric.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loghain, Puppies, Mischief.

Loghain never really saw himself as a pet person. The idea of taking care of a fragile, and typically adorable young thing just didn't sit right with him all the time. It wasn't that he disliked animals or had a bad experience with them - he just couldn't see himself taking care of a living thing that was so dependent on him for survival.

This particular puppy though, caught his attention the moment he laid eyes on it. And there was no turning back since.

As he locked the door of his apartment, he set down the cardboard box in his hands, as gently as he could. Inside it, a little golden retriever puppy curled in the corner, sleeping. His eyes were shut tight, the body moving ever so slightly as Loghain sighed in relief.

It all started when he went by the pet shop. Loghain knew the owners, Herren and Wade, and had on occasion, helped out at the shop, feeding the dogs or just minding the store. One particular week, he noticed a new puppy, sleeping in the corner of a cage. "Barely a week old, that one," Herren sighed, placing a few boxes of dog food next to the cage, "and quite weak too. He might not make it, the poor thing. And he's such a fine breed too. You should've seen his mother - a beautiful one."

Two weeks later, the little puppy was giving what Herren described as a living nightmare. Escaping from his cage just to run about and explore the shop, he would knock things over, or just disappear behind the maze of boxes, forcing Herren to navigate his way through the box fort and take the mischievous little thing back to his cage by force. Though he was slightly smaller than his expected size, he made up for that with sheer energy and curiosity. "He's a little rascal, he is," Herren burst out in exasperation as he lifted the what-must-have-been-sulking puppy from behind the boxes and plopping him into the cage, "and to think when he first came here he had to be isolated from the rest because of his weak constitution." It was precisely because of that though, that Loghain decided to take the puppy in. Even though the odds were stacked against the little guy, he beat them. This one was a fighter, and (forgive the pun) an underdog, which Loghain both admired and respected.

Sitting himself down next to the box, he thought of what to call this addition to his family. As a short, wagging tail popped up from the box, the puppy leaped out, plopping himself onto Loghain's legs. Proceeding to grab some of Loghain's jeans into his mouth, Loghain couldn't help but laugh slightly. Patting the puppy, it was reciprocated with numerous quick licks on his fingers. "I think...I'll call you Maric," Loghain stood up as the new puppy ran around his legs, "a name fit for a King."

\----

Leaning against his room’s door, Loghain downed the last bit of coffee in his mug, watching Maric in sheer amusement. Even though his house wasn’t huge, Maric seemed to be having the time of his life exploring his new home. He’d disappear from Loghain’s view into the living room, only to pop up running into the kitchen, looking through every corner. Dashing out of the kitchen, he ran towards Loghain, he leaped onto Loghain’s foot and sat there, pulling at his jeans leg as though wanting Loghain to explore the house with him. He couldn’t help but laugh a bit every time Maric did that, and he’d just lift his leg and walk with Maric to the other rooms in response. Repeat the process a few times and all Loghain would do was just let the puppy run about. Setting his basket down near his room’s door, he was about to fit the blanket into it only to feel it be snatched from his fingers. “Maric!” Loghain laughed as he landed on his side reaching for the cloth while Maric ran, the blue cloth dragging behind him in tow.

_Mygod he’s fast. And playful. And every bit the little troublemaker Herren complained about._

An hour later, the (slightly damp) blanket was fitted into the basket with Maric sitting on top and gnawing his new bone. Night approached, and Maric’s energy levels were (finally) depleted. Before 10pm hit, his eyes were already shut, snoozing away in his basket. Turning the lights off, Loghain went to sleep.

Before long, there was another problem. He was awoken by…yes, it was definitely a howl. A much softer howl than he’d expect of a dog, but a howl nonetheless. _Wait…a howl?_ Struggling to open his half-asleep eyes, Loghain reached over to the clock on the bedside table, the neon-green light indicating it was 3.27am. Turning his attention to Maric’s basket, he found it empty. His eyes now flew open, jolting himself awake from his half-dead state and scrambled out of bed, following the gradually louder sounds of whimpers and scratches. There he was. Maric was at the door of the house, pawing at it frantically, whimpering. Letting out a small howl, Loghain felt a painful twinge inside his chest. He sounded so…sad, and afraid. Sensing that Loghain was there in the same room, Maric ran straight for him, colliding into his legs and staying as close as he could to his new friend. Scooping Maric into his arms, Maric struggled slightly but calmed down when Loghain sat in front of the basket, his hand firmly on the back of Maric’s head. “You’re okay now, you’re okay,” Loghain flipped the light on and set Maric down into his basket, using his hands to pet his head, “you’re safe now.”

Sitting in front of him, Maric’s eyes never left Loghain’s. Even while Loghain was petting Maric, he made no move to leap onto him, or just run into his lap for his puppy version of a cuddle (which Loghain experienced for just about the entire afternoon). He just…sat there. Fidgeting slightly, but his eyes never looking away. “It’s as though you’re begging me somehow,” Loghain breathed, his finger tapped Maric’s nose once but still he did not blink, “like you’re begging me not to go.” Picking him up again, he set Maric on his bed. Confused, Maric tilted his head to the side, watching Loghain move towards the lights. Just as he flipped them off, that’s when he realised.

_He’s scared of the dark._

Upon the sudden lack of light, Maric immediately whimpered, rooted to the spot near the headboard. Running back to the bed, he quickly lay next to Maric, placing a comforting hand on Maric’s body. It was then that Loghain felt the panic within him.

Essentially, while it was a bit of an unsaid, though commonly overlooked thing, animals were alive - that meant you could feel emotions off of them. When thought about it that way, it wasn’t surprising that many people didn’t come into contact with animals very often. The first time you felt a walking living thing, that wasn’t human, under your hands, it was always surprising. Loghain first came into contact with dogs 2 years ago with Sky, a female husky. When he touched her coat, it was warm, and as she moved with his hand still on her, her muscle movement was clearly felt and that’s when he realized how fragile she was. He felt the hesitation in her, her coat being touched by a stranger, and he sensed that she must have felt his apprehension as well, licking his palm when he removed it from her coat.

It was the same with Maric, but a few times worse. Though he proved himself to be a brave puppy, charging head-first into the unknown, Loghain saw how he was so much more vulnerable than he already was. He felt the tense muscles in Maric’s back, how his entire body was shaking just that little bit, how Maric couldn’t decide between expressing his fear of the dark out loud and keeping himself composed in front of Loghain, whimpering instead of howling. “It’s okay buddy, I’m here now,” he whispered while Maric stopped fidgeting slightly, keeping himself quiet when Loghain started to talk to him, “you’re safe with me now, I’m here to protect you. Go to sleep, and when you wake in the morning, I’ll still be here.” He felt Maric lick his forearm once, before lying down against the headboard, nudging Loghain’s hand lightly.

As time passed, Loghain watched Maric close his eyes. As Maric’s breathing slowed down, he glanced at the clock, 3.51am glaring back at him. Leaning over, he kissed Maric very lightly on the head and whispered to him, before letting his own eyes fall shut. “Goodnight, Maric. Sweet dreams.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was done as a request for liquoricecharms and inafitofbroodypique on tumblr, where Maric has become a golden retriever puppy, with Loghain taking him in. It's a bit crack-y I guess, and I've never written anything like this before. Any comments on this would be very welcome! ;w;
> 
> <3, flawedconcerto.


End file.
